In a matter of seconds

Riding home last night

About dusk

Sun is going down

Left five minutes early from work

In a good mood and listening to music

There must have been a song I needed to hear

A message from beyond

Let me explain

Just riding along

Normally a short jaunt

A couple of miles

A familiar route

Five over the speed limit as usual

On autopilot

Just riding along

A light pops into my view at the last moment

A red light

A stoplight that is never red

Happens to be in front of a railroad track

No gates

I have gone to and from work every day for the last five months

This light has never been red

And I have certainly never seen a train cross this particular track

This spot in the road is just part of the road

Never considered the need to stop

A quick debate in my head

To stop or not

The usual debate when a light changes unexpectedly

I chose to stop

In retrospect

I think I had help

Just then I hear a horn

I end up ten feet from the track and a train in my peripheral vision

Good decision

That was close

A second here

One action during my day takes a bit longer or shorter

I could have arrived at the wrong time

Subtle reminder

To enjoy life

Life as you know it

It can change at any time

The train was only part of the message though

By the way

That song I needed to hear was by Bob Marley:

"Don't worry about a thing

cause every little thing is gonna be alright"

something, something, something, something

You get the drift

That song was playing as I waited for the train

The universe was reminding me not to worry

Things have a way of working out